Toy construction element



June 26, 1951 w. A. STARICK 2,558,591

TOY CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT Filed Oct. 25, 1948 INVENTOR. WILLIAM A. STARCK Patented June 26, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE TOY CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT William A. Starck, Milwaukee, Wis. 7 Application October 25, 1948, Serial No. 56,359

2 Claims. 1

My invention relates to improvements in toys and more particularly to toy block construction.

The object of my invention is to provide an individual unit member that will constitute a section of a cube when assembled with similar identical members.

Another object of my inventionis to provide an individual unit member, having its edges formed in a manner to permit engagement with the edges of a similar member, thereby making it possible to construct a varied assortment of assembled units.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a single unit member of sheet material, of a thickness corresponding with the depth of the indentations along the outer edge of the unit.

A further object of my invention is to construct a plurality of individual unit members all of the same shape and contour having their outer edges arranged to permit their engagement with one another, for the purpose of constructing a variety of assembled structures.

By referring to the drawings and descriptions, it will be manifest that the shape and contour of the individual unit member will permit its engagement and contact at its outer edges with similarly shaped members, so that although all members are of the same size and shape, they retain contact with one another by friction only.

The device is extremely easy and economical to manufacture and safe as a toy, may be assembled into blocks or cubes to hold the attention of a child in one age group, and may due to its shape act as a toy for children of another age group in assembling varied units. The device lends itself to entertainment and education.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent as the description pro ceeds when taken in conjunction with the drawing in which Figure 1 is a cube assembled from six of the unit members.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a unit member showing an arrangement of the tongues and recesses.

Figure 3 is a fanciful assembly of a chair, constructed of a plurality of individual unit members, and

Figure 4 is a fanciful design of a table, constructed of a plurality of individual unit members.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views and referring now to the same, the character Ill shows a unit member integrally constructed of sheet material of equal thickness, having its outer edges formed to a pair of recesses l I indented into two oppositely disposed edges, and a pair of tongues l2 extending outward from two oppositely disposed edges. The tongues l2 and the recess H are of the same length to allow frictional engagement one with the other, and the recesses II are of a depth equal to the thickness of the material from which the member ID is constructed. This also applies to the tongue members I2 which extend outward from the edges of the member [6 to a distance equal to the thickness of the material from which the unit member ID is constructed.

The arrangement of the edges as shown in Figure 2, will develope four recessed portions I3 cut out of the edge of the member I 0, adjacent to the tongue portions l2 and these recessed portions are of a depth equivalent to the tongue l2, and of a Width equivalent to three times the thickness of the material, thereby producing a projecting member I 4.

The construction of the unit member ID permits each member to be placed in engagement at its edges to similar members either on a level plane or at a right angle thereto. This is exemplified in the drawing wherein the tongue [3 of one unit member engages the recess of another unit member, all members I!) being of the exact size and contour to permit ready engagement one with the other to form combinations of assembled units, thereby producing varied designs as outlined by the cube in Figure 1, and the chair and table construction outlined in Figures 3 and 4. respectively.

In Figure 3, I show a unit member l5 horizontally disposed, engaged by the two vertical units i6 and I 'i acting as standards, and a unit I8 shown angularly engaging one end of the unit l5, thereby forming a fanciful chair.

In Figure 4, I show a unit member l9 horizon-V tally disposed, supported by vertical members 20 and 2|, and I show two unit members 22 and 23 frictionally engaging the opposite edges of the unit H) in a horizontal plane thereby forming a fanciful table design.

It is manifest to any one familiar with the art that the single individual unit members may be assembled in a great variety of ways to produce a variety of results. It is also manifest that the arrangement of the tongue and recess on the individual parts, permits frictional engagement of the various individual units and the device as described permits assembly of the units by any one without skill or mechanical knowledge.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent in the United States is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a unit member substantially square in contour, having four edges and constructed of sheet material, a pair of recesses, said recesses being medially disposed in two oppositely disposed edg'es of said unit member, to a depth equivalent to the thickness of the material from which the unit member is constructed, a pair of tongue members, said tongue members bein medially and oppositely disposed on the remain ing two edges of said unit member, said tongue members being substantially the same Width as the recesses and projecting outward to a distance equivalent to the thickness of the material from which the unit member is constructed, four auxiliary recesses, each one of said recesses disposed alongside a tongue member and extending to a recessed side of the unit member, the auxiliary recesses being of a depth equivalent to the tongue member and of a width equivalent to three times the thickness of the material from which the unit member is constructed.

2. A device of the character described comprising, a unit member constructed of sheet material and being of substantially square contour,

said unit member having a pair of recesses disposed medially on two of its edges in opposite relation to one another, the depth of said recesses being equivalent to the thickness of the material, said unit member further being provided with a pair of tongue members, said tongue members extending outward on the remaining two edges of said unit member in medial and opposite relation to one another, the tongue members being of a length equivalent to the thickness of the material from which the unit members are constructed, the tongue members being of a width to correspond with the width of the recesses on said unit member, four auxiliary recesses, one of said auxiliary recesses being aligned on each side of said tongue members and extending to a recessed side of the unit member, said auxiliary recesses being of a depth equivalent to the tongue memher, and of a width equivalent to three times the thickness of the material from which the unit member is constructed.

WILLIAM A. STARCK! REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STAT-ES PATENTS Sanders Jan. 10, 1933 

